Coin feeder and stacker



Oct. 13, 1964 R. c. RAU

com FEEDER AND STACKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 27, 1962 INVENTORRICHARD c. RAU

ATTORNEYS Oct. 13, 1964 R. c. RAU

' COIN FEEDER AND STACKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27, 1962 Fl 6. 5INVENTOR Rlcg an C. Pan wmwaflg (W ATTORNEYS 7 While the larger drum 34performs its function over an arc of approximately 90 from the locationof coin C in FIG. 1 to the top of chute 38, a substantial portion of theremaining are defining the cylindrical surface of the drum is covered bya semicylindrical wall 42. The forward edge 44 of wall 42 serves todislodge coins from the rubher-like surface 36 of the drum should theyadhere to the surface for any reason, rather than drop from it onto thechute 38. The trailing edge 46 of the wall 42 is spaced slightly abovethe surface of inclined wall 24 and allows only a single layer of coinsto pass beneath it on that surface. Thus, the coins reaching the drumsurface are assured of being spread out in a single layer withoutoverlapping one another.

When the coins reach the top of the chute 38 they fall from the surface36 of the drum and onto the chute, and by gravity they are carried tothe wheel feeder housing 50. The housing St) is open at its top so thatcoins on the chute 38 enter the housing through the opening and reachthe periphery of the Wheel 16. Guide walls 51 prevent coins from fallingoff the side edges of chute 38.

The periphery 52 of the Wheel 16 is provided with a series ofsemicircular cutouts or notches 54 each of which is adapted to receiveone coin. The periphery 52 of the wheel 16 is spaced from the edge 56 ofthe housing St) a distance adequate for the notches 54 to receive coinsand rotate within the housing without interference. This is suggested inFIG. 1 wherein a number of coins C are shown in the notches 54. It willbe appreciated that the wheel 16 may rotate rapidly so as tocontinuously provide at the bottom of chute 38 empty notches 54 toreceive coins as they move down the chute. The coins are carried fromthat region at the uppermost point on the periphery of the wheel 16 tothe slots 58 which extend downwardly from the housing Stl. As thenotches move from the bottom of the chute 38 to the bottom of thehousing 50 they are inverted and drop the coins which are carried inthem into the slots 58 provided. A plurality of slots 58 are shown andit will be appreciated that the coins will be dropped from the notches54 in the first slot 58 capable of receiving coins. That is, if thefirst slot 58a is less than full, the coins will be deposited in thatslot and when that slot is full the c ins will pass over it in thenotches 54 and drop into the next slot 58b. The slots 58 may then conveythe coins to any desired location.

Having described the feeder subcombination of my invention it will beappreciated that it is capable of handling coins in great quantities andfeeding them rapidly single file to any desired location. The feeder isparticularly suitable for use in combination with a stacking devicewhich presents coins in stacks of a preselected number ready forWrapping or packaging.

Coin Stacker In FIGS. 35 a stacking device suitable for use incombination with the feeder of FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown. The stackerincludes a frame 60 on which is rotatably mounted a semicylindricalsleeve or holder 62 of a length and diameter capable of receiving astack of a preselected number of coins. The holder 62 typically may becapable of holding twenty quarters, fifty pennies, or forty nickels, allconstituting conventional rolled quantities of coins. The holder 62 iscarried on a shaft 64 which extends through the frame and carries a gear66 driven by a second gear 68 in turn mounted on shaft 70. The shaft 70has one end supported in the frame 66 and the other end of the shaft maybe connected to a motor (not shown). In FIG. 3 the gears 66 and 68 areshown to have nonuniformly spaced gear teeth which cause intermittentrotation of the holder 62 through areas of less than 360. Obviously thespecial gears could be replaced by a timing circuit for the motor whichdrives the shaft 70 to achieve the same purpose.

In the position shown, the open side 72 of the holder 62 faces thedischarge ends 74 of a number of parallel coin slots '76 each of whichis adapted to deliver to the holder a coin with its axis aligned withthe axis of the holder so that each will assume the position shown inFIG. 3 when discharged into the holder. In the illustrated embodiment,the number of slots 76 corresponds to the number of coins to be stackedin the holder.

Disposed beneath the holder 62 is a trough-like coin receiver 78appreciably longer than the holder itself. The holder lies above one endof the trough-like coin receiver 78 and the receiver has upwardlyextending side walls 80 which flare outwardly at their tops 82 to guidecoins from the holder into the receiver. In FIG. 4 it will be noted thatthe upwardly extending walls Stl reach substantially to the height ofthe holder 62 and will guide coins into the receiver when the holder 62is inverted. That is, when the holder 62 is rotated from the positionshown in FIG. 4 to a position wherein its open side '72 facesdownwardly, the coins in the holder 62 Will be guided by the plates 80into the receiver 73.

The holder 62 has a circular end wall 84 from which extends a shaft 36which rotates with the holder. The shaft 86 carries an axially movablesleeve 88 which in turn carries a circular disc 90 of substantiallygreater radius than the end wall 84 of the holder 62. The sleeve 83 anddisc 90 rotate with the shaft 86. In FIG. 3 disc 9t is shown in brokenlines to extend downwardly toward the receiver '78 below the tops ofcoins disposed in the receiver when placed there by the holder. Thesleeve 88 surrounds a spring 92 mounted on the shaft 86, which urges thedisc 90 to the position shown in FTG.- 3 adjacent the partition 94 andend Wall 84 of the holder. The disc 9%? may be moved against the bias ofthe spring 92 to the position shown in FIG. 5.

A solenoid 96 having a plunger 98 is mounted on a support 1d!) besidethe frame 6t and the plunger 38 extends through the frame and carries apusher plate 162 at its end within the receiver '78. The pusher plateHi2 bears against one end of the stack of coins when they are depositedin the receiver by the holder 62 while the other end of the stack issupported by the disc 90. When the solenoid 96 is energized the plunger98 moves the pusher plate to the right as viewed in FIG. 3 and the coinsin the trough move to the right beyond the partition 94 as shown in FIG.5. It will be noted that the bottom of the partition 94 has asemicircular cutout which forms with the receiver 78 a circle ofslightly larger diameter than the coins so that they may slide frombeneath the holder 62 under the influence of the pusher plate 362 to thereceiver extension lying beyond the partition. The partition 94 servesto guide the coin on the end of each stack as the stack falls from theholder to the receiver.

In FIG. 5 the disc 30 is shown to include an arcuate cutout 104. Thecutout 104 is the equivalent of the curved lower end of the partition 94so that when the cutout 104 is aligned with the receiver 78 the disc 90may move over the coins from the position shown in FIG. 5 to that shownin FIG. 3. When the disc 90 is in an angular position such as shown inFIG. 5 the pusher plate 102 will act both upon the coins in the receiver78 and the disc 90 to move them to the right, as shown in FIG. 5.However when the disc 90 rotates so that the cutout 104 is aligned withthe receiver, the spring 92 will move the sleeve 88 and the disc 90 overthe coins.

Having described the details of the coin stacker shown in FIGS. 3-5 itsoperation will now be described. The assembly in FIG. 3 is shown in itsinitial position wherein coins are deposited from the slots '76 into theholder 62 in the desired number. Rotation of the shaft 64 is such thatthe holder Will rest temporarily in the position shown in FIG. 3 whilethe loading of the coins takes place. After the coins are loaded in theholder 62 the prime mover through the gears 66 and 68 rotates the holderapproximately 90 so that the stack of coins in the holder falls from itinto the receiver 78. The

United States Patent 3,152,597 CUEN FEEDER AND STACKER Richard (I. Ran,Mention, Mesa, assignor to Electronic Coin Processing Corp, New York,N.Z., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 27, 19 52, Ser. No. 219,671 9Claims. (Cl. 133-4) This invention relates to coin feeding and stackingmachines.

There is a growing demand for all types of automatic equipment forhandling coins. In part this growing demand results from the increaseduse of automatic vending machines and change making machines of allvarieties. Increased labor costs have also made it virtually essentialin certain industries where large quantities of coins are handled tofind automatic equipment for performing tasks formerly carried outmanually by unskilled and inexpensive labor.

The use of coins in quantity has also grown so that there is now anappreciable market for packaged coins in assorted denominationsspecifically chosen to fill the needs of the user. To successfullyexploit this market and fulfill the needs of the different industrieswhich must handle coins automatically, the equipment must not onlyperform dependably and rapidly the tasks assigned to it, but theequipment itself cannot represent a substantial capital outlay.

One important object of this invention is to provide a coin feedercapable of receiving coins in bulk and discharging them rapidly, one ata time, in a selected orientation.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a coin stackingdevice capable of receiving coins in single file and rapidly convertingthem into stacks of a selected number of coins.

Yet another important object of this invention is to provide a coinhandling machine which is capable of receiving coins in bulk andconverting them to stacks of coins of a particular number.

Yet another important object of this invention is to provide a devicecapable of rapidly and dependably performing the above noted objects.

The machine of this invention capable of performing the stated objectsis composed of two major subassemblies; namely, the feeder and thestacker. The coin feeder subassembly includes two rotating membersdisposed in a housing which receives coins in bulk from an adjacent bin.One of the rotating members turns in a direction opposite to the normaldirection of travel of coins in the housing and serves to spread thecoins into a single layer on the housing bottom wall. The second memberconveys the coins to a remote location where they are dropped intorecesses formed in the periphery of a rotating disc which conveys thecoins in single file to the top of a plurality of coin chutes or slots.

A number of chutes or slots filled by one or more feeders in accordancewith this invention direct coins to a trough-shaped holder which iscapable of receiving a preselected number of coins stacked in a roll.The trough-shaped holder is periodically inverted and dumps the coins instack form to another support, and an actuator is timed to move thecoins from the support to a delivery station. Containing forces areapplied to the coins in the stack so that they preserve their roll form.

These and other objects and features of this invention will be betterunderstood and appreciated from the following detailed description of aprefered embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration andshown in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view with parts broken away of a coin feederconstructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the feeder shown in FIG 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view with parts broken away of a coin stackerconstructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the stacker shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the stacker shown in FIG. 3with the parts of the mechanism in a second position.

In the following description the two main subassemblies are describedseparately under appropriate subheadings and thereafter the manner inwhich the two may operate together is presented.

Coin Feeder The coin feeder of this invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2includes a housing 10 having a coin bin or hopper 12 and an operatingchamber 14. Disposed below the housing 10 and forming an extensionthereof is a wheel feeder 16.

The housing 10 is provided with a pair of side walls 13 and 20, a frontwall 22, and an inclined bottom wall 24. A partition or panel 26cooperates with the bottom wall 24 and the side walls and front wall todefine the bin for receiving coins in bulk to be fed by the device. InFIGS. 1 and 2 a number of coins are shown disposed at the bottom of thebin. In ordinary use all of the coins in the bin will be of the samedenomination and the particular shape and spacing of the several partsof the mechanism are selected to conform with the size of the particulardenomination of coins being handled.

The partition 26 terminates at its lower edge 28 an appreciable distanceabove the inclined bottom wall 24 so that coins in the bin 12 will sliderather rapidly into the operating chamber 14.

A cylinder 30 is disposed beside the lower end of the partition 26 andcarries a plurality of flexible fiappers 32 (four shown) which moveclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 and in a direction opposite to thenormal direction of travel of coins on the lower inclined wall 24. Thefiappers 32 serve to spread the coins into a single layer as they movedown the inclined wall 24 and generally impede the rush of coins in bulkto the lower end of the inclined bottom wall 24. Thus, coins which passbeneath the roller 30 toward the lower end of the inclined wall 24 arespread over the bottom wall in a single layer and do not overlap oneanother.

A substantially larger drum 34 is also disposed within the chamber 14.The drum has an outer skin of rubberlike material 36 such aspolyurethane foam, rotates counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2,and is designed to carry coins from the lower end of the inclined wall24 to the top of chute 38. The outer surface 36 of the drum is spacedfrom the curved wall 40 which extends tangentially upwardly from thebottom of the inclined wall 24, an effective distance slightly less thanthe thickness of one coin of the denomination being handled by thefeeder. Thus, the rubber-like surface 36 of the drum engages the coinswhen they reach the lower end of the inclined wall 24 in the region ofthe coin C shown in FIG. 1, and carry the coins from that location tothe top of the chute 38. If the surface 36 of the drum 34 issufiiciently flexible or yieldable, no space need be provided betweenthat surface and the wall 40 as it will compress when a coin is grabbedby it and carry it up the wall. This arrangement is suggested in FIG. 2.Note in FIG. 2 coin C being conveyed up the curved wall 40 and in FIG. 1the coins C" just reaching the top of the chute 38. Coins are also shownin FIGS. 1 and 2 on the chute as they slide in the direction of thewheel feeder 16.

rotation may be in the direction of arrow 106 shown in FIG. 3. When thecoins are deposited in the receiver 78 they are held at one end by thepusher plate 102 and at the other end by the disc 96. It will be notedthat the cutout 104 is not aligned with the receiver 78 so that anunbroken part of the disc lies against the end coin in the stack. Thesolenoid circuit 96 is timed with rotation of the shaft 64 so that onlyafter the coins are deposited in the trough 78 is the solenoidenergized. Energization of the solenoid causes the pusher plate 102 tomove the stack of coins of the right to the position shown in FIG. 5,and the plate 90 move with it. Thereafter, continued rotation of theshaft 64 causes the cutout 104 to align itself with the coins andreceiver, and the disc is released to the influence of spring 92 andreturns to the position shown in FIG. 3. Thereafter continued rotationof the shaft 64 returns the holder 62 to the position shown in FIG. 3and it may be reloaded with coins and the cycle repeated. It will beappreciated that this operation may be conducted very rapidly and solong as the coin slots 76 are provided with coins the cycle may berepeated indefinitely. It is of course necessary that the coins pushedto the position shown in FIG. 5 be removed from the trough before thenext load of coins is moved to that position. This may be carried outautomatically by some other equipment perhaps forming part of anautomatic coin wrapper.

In the foregoing description the details of construction as well as theoperation of each of the subassemblies has been presented. The manner inwhich they may function together is obvious. Each of the slots 76 in thecoin stacker may be connected to or form a continuation of the slots 58in the feeding mechanism. In this manner the assembly may convert coinsin bulk to separate stacks of coins of a selected number ready forwrapping.

From the foregoing description those skilled in the art will appreciatethat numerous modifications may be made of this invention withoutdeparting from its spirit. Therefore, we do not intend to limit thebreadth of this invention to the specific embodiments illustrated anddescribed. Rather, it is our intention that the breadth of thisinvention be determined by the appened claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:

1. A coin feeder comprising,

a coin bin having an inclined bottom wall on which coins slide bygravity toward the lower end,

a roller disposed in the bin above the inclined wall and spaced from ita distance slightly greater than the thickness of coins of thedenomination being handled,

means for turning the roller in a direction so that its lower sideadjacent the bottom wall moves in a direction against the gravitationalflow of coins on the wall for spreading out the conis into a singlelayer on said wall,

an upwardly inclined Wall secured to and forming a continuation of thebottom wall and being segmentshaped in cross-section,

a drum having a rubber-like outer surface disposed adjacent the inclinedwall for conveying coins from the bottom to the top of that wall in asingle layer,

a rotating wheel having a plurality of notches formed in its periphery,

means directing the coins from the top of the inclined wall afterleaving the drum into the notches,

and a slot for receiving coins in single file from the notches in theperiphery.

2. A coin feeder comprising,

a bin having an inclined bottom wall upon which coins will slide bygravity toward the lower end,

a roller spreader disposed above the bottom wall for causing the coinswhich pass beneath it to lie in a single layer on the wall,

a wheel feeder disposed adjacent the end of the inclined wall, saidfeeder having a plurality of coin carrying notches formed in itsperiphery and each adapted to carry a single coin,

conveying means disposed adjacent the wheel feeder and the bottom wallfor directing coins from the wall to the notches,

and chutes disposed adjacent the wheel for receiving coins from thenotches.

3. In combination with a coin feeder as defined in 10 claim 2, a coinstacker comprising,

a coin holder adapted to carry a stack of coins,

means operatively connecting the chutes with the holder causing thechutes to direct coiris in a stack to the holder,

a receiver disposed adjacent the holder,

means causing the holder to feed a stack of coins carried by it to thereceiver,

and means for moving the coins on the receiver.

4. A coin handling device comprising,

a bulk coin receiver and a coin holder, feeding means disposed betweenthe bulk coin receiver and the holder for stacking coins on the holder,

a trough-like receiver,

means periodically causing the holder to discharge its stack of coinsonto the trough-like receiver,

a movable plate disposed adjacent the trough-like re ceiver and biasedto a position wherein it holds the stack of coins on the receiver,

and a pusher disposed adjacent the trough-like receiver and adapted tomove the coins and the plate on said receiver.

5. A coin stacker comprising,

a holder,

means for stacking a selected number of coins in the holder,

a receiver disposed adjacent the holder,

means connected to the holder causing the holder to discharge the coinsin stack form to the receiver,

a disc disposed adjacent the receiver and adapted to bear against oneend of the stack of coins placed in the receiver,

means for moving the stack of coins in the receiver while the disc bearsagainst one end of the stack,

and means enabling the disc to move over the stack after the stack hasbeen moved.

6. A coin stacker comprising,

a holder for receiving a stack of coins,

a receiver disposed adjacent the holder,

means connected to the holder causing the holder to turn and dischargestacks of coins to the receiver,

:a disc connected to the holder and turning with it, said disc engagingthe end of each stack of coins as they are deposited in the receiver,

pushing means engaging the other end of the stack of coins in thereceiver and moving them with the disc to a second location on thereceiver,

and means formed in the disc causing it to return to its initialposition after continued rotation with the holder after the coins on thereceiver have been moved to the second location whereby the disc ispositioned to engage the end of the next stack of coins placed on thereceiver.

7. A coin feeder comprising,

a coin bin having an inclined bottom wall on which coins slide bygravity toward the lower end,

means disposed in the bin above the inclined wall and spaced from it adistance slightly greater than the thickness of coins of thedenomination being handled for spreading out the coins into a singlelayer on said wall,

an upwardly inclined wall secured to and forming a continuation of thebottom wall,

a drum having a yieldable outer surface disposed adjacent the upwardlyinclined wall for conveying coins from the bottom to the top of thatWall in a single layer,

and means for receiving coins in single file from the top of theupwardly inclined Wall.

8. A coin stacker comprising,

a holder,

means for stacking a selected number of coins in the holder,

a receiver disposed adjacent the holder,

means connected to the holder causing the holder to discharge the coinsin stack form to the receiver,

additional means disposed adjacent the receiver and adapted to bearagainst one end of the stack of coins placed in the receiver,

means for moving the stack of coins in the receiver while the additionalmeans bears against one end of the stack,

and means enabling the additional means to move over the stack after thestack has been moved.

9. A coin stacker comprising,

a holder for receiving a stack of coins,

a receiver disposed adjacent the holder,

means connected to the holder causing the holder to discharge stacks ofcoins to the receiver,

additional means connected to the holder and engaging one end of eachstack of coins as the stack is deposited in the receiver,

pushing means engaging the other end of the stack of coins in thereceiver and moving them with the additional means to a second locationon the receiver,

and means formed in the additional means causing it to return to itsinitial position after movement with the holder after the coins on thereceiver have been moved to the second location whereby the additionalmeans is positioned to engage one end of the next stack of coins placedon the receiver.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,594,422 Gordon Apr. 29, 1952 2,645,397 McCallick et a1. July 14, 1953FOREIGN PATENTS 677 Great Britain Jan. 10, 1910 48,673 Austria June 26,1911

7. A COIN FEEDER COMPRISING, A COIN BIN HAVING AN INCLINED BOTTOM WALLON WHICH COINS SLIDE BY GRAVITY TOWARD THE LOWER END, MEANS DISPOSED INTHE BIN ABOVE THE INCLINED WALL AND SPACED FROM IT A DISTANCE SLIGHTLYGREATER THAN THE THICKNESS OF COINS OF THE DENOMINATION BEING HANDLEDFOR SPREADING OUT THE COINS INTO A SINGLE LAYER ON SAID WALL, ANUPWARDLY INCLINED WALL SECURED TO AND FORMING A CONTINUATION OF THEBOTTOM WALL, A DRUM HAVING A YIELDABLE OUTER SURFACE DISPOSED ADJACENTTHE UPWARDLY INCLINED WALL FOR CONVEYING COINS FROM THE BOTTOM TO THETOP OF THAT WALL IN A SINGLE LAYER, AND MEANS FOR RECEIVING COINS INSINGLE FILE FROM THE TOP OF THE UPWARDLY INCLINED WALL.